Alternative Water Supply

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Guidance:

"Update on Providing Alternative Water Supply as Part of Superfund Response Actions," September 24, 2010.
OSWER Directive 9355.3-22, 8p.
Available on-line from OSWER [PDF 4.47 MB].

This memorandum modifies the existing 1988 guidance by no longer recommending the use of two types of alternative water supply options described in that guidance, specifically oversized community storage facilities to compensate for loss of existing system capacity in emergency demand situations and blending of new and existing water supplies to achieve acceptable levels. This memorandum does, however, reaffirm the six recommended ways that alternative water supplies can be provided for remedial actions, as described in the NCP, and reaffirms existing interpretations of the NCP for removal actions. This memorandum also provides a summary of the number of remedial and removal actions that included alternative water supplies and the number of people protected by those alternative water supplies.

This guidance was written to help response managers plan and implement alternate water supplies at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites where the action can be done under a Non-Time Critical Removal Action or an Operable Unit (or early) Remedial Action. It does not address alternate water supplies implemented under Time-Critical Removal Actions or as a normal part of a final Remedial Action. The document provides guidance on determining if an alternate water supply is needed, and if needed, on selection and implementation of alternate water supplies. It includes provision of new supplies and treatment or redistribution of existing supplies. Appendix C on EPA Standards and Appendix D on Removal Action Levels have been superseded by more recent standards and guidance.